ECP declares 50% polling stations 'sensitive' or 'most sensitive'

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has declared around 50% polling stations in country as ‘sensitive’ or ‘most sensitive’, quoting sources ARY News reported on Monday.

According to ECP sources, overall 90,675 polling stations have been set up across the country for the upcoming general elections, slated for Feb 8, 2024.

Sources said that 46,065 polling stations have been declared as ‘sensitive’ or ‘most sensitive’ across the country. “The ECP has declared 27,628 polling stations as sensitive and 18,437 as most sensitive,” sources said.

“In Punjab 12,580 polling stations have been pronounced ‘sensitive’ and 6,040 as ‘most sensitive’ and 32,324 poll stations as normal”, ECP sources said.

“In Sindh 6,545 polling stations have been declared ‘sensitive’ and 6,524 stations as ‘most sensitive'”. Sindh’s 5,937 polling stations have been declared normal.

“In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 6,166 polling stations have been declared ‘sensitive’ and 4,143 polling stations as ‘most sensitive'”. While KP’s 5,388 polling stations have been declared normal, sources said.

“In Balochistan total 961 polling stations have been declared normal, while 2,337 as ‘sensitive and 1,730 polling stations as ‘most sensitive'”.

The ECP’s election plan delineates distribution of polling stations across all four provinces and the federal capital. The polling stations have been categorized as normal, sensitive, and highly sensitive based on the security situation and the history of electoral violence.